Critical Edges on the Brink

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Ah. Fuck, really... words won't come out.

My vision flipped in an instant. My eyes flashed white. Maybe I blacked out for a second and came to. The ringing in my ears wouldn't stop. My hands and wrists that had blocked that brutal axe with my own axe had no sensation left.

Doc, I think I'm numb here.

Guess I'm still alive.

If I wasn't some ghost, the fact that I was having these random thoughts was proof enough I was kicking. There was this thing called agony, so I wouldn't drop dead in one hit anyway, but it just felt that way. Like I finally got what people meant by "it hurts so bad I'm gonna die."

As my vision cleared, the first thing to greet me was the battle log.

"Captain! Captaaain—!"

"No, no! Captain! We just found you, how could this..."

"Urgh..."

Seeing them worry about me this much made all the effort feel worth it. But guys, could you stop shaking me? I'm gonna puke...

"Move aside..."

"Ah."

"Captain!"

"Get it together. We're in combat now."

As I gritted my teeth against the pain surging through my body, Kaya and Shae did the same.

Yeah. That's more like it for a Long Terror run. This fucking bullshit. I was wondering when it'd come back.

That elite monster's strike had instantly flushed our good momentum down the toilet. Experiencing it firsthand hurt like hell, but I didn't panic. Even if it was from beyond the fourth wall, I'd seen this crap way too many times.

Taking a crit and not dropping into agony? That's a win.

I'm the guy who stuck with this luck-based shitfest for over 3,000 hours because it was fun. And here I was, trying to stay positive in the middle of it all—pretty damn funny.

In a game, I'd be cursing up a storm, maybe even rage-quitting. But right now? I almost laughed.

—Haha, team's losing and you're laughing! We ain't lost yet. Still winnable.

"C-Captain?"

"Same as always: kill that thing before it kills me. Easy, right? Just pretend we started off taking one hit harder than usual. Nothing else changes."

"Captain!"

I checked the specs on that god-mode Terror Warrior prick. The +1 speed stung hard.

If that stacks to 3, we're fucked. Not sure I can even survive that long.

We'd taken a sucker punch before we could even swing, so the party's morale was shot, but we couldn't fold at 1-6. I bellowed to rally them.

"We can last at least one more round, so let's push!"

Wanted crit? For real...?

No downside to floating that. Mentality ticked up a bit, mood improved. In a game, I'd get that satisfying impact sound and a badass crit voice line. But as someone who believed hard in luck conservation, I got anxious—did this crit steal my next one's luck? Only 1 damage on a crit mark? Dicey.

At this point, maybe skip rolling for them.

Speed roll done, Shae's turn. Her claymore gleamed brighter than ever, her body trembling like it might explode at a touch.

"Go get 'em, Shae."

"Vengeance for the Captain!"

Shae, I'm not dead yet...

A demonic aura seemed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to pour from the crusader Shae. The Terror Warrior, standing tall after blasting me away, flinched at her charge—it was that destructive.

Phew. Stun landed.

Couldn't let that god-mode prick rampage. It could do everything solo. Thank god Shae had hard CC stun.

"Vengeance for the Captain... I won't let you go easy."

No, Kaya, I'm not dead!

No crit, but near-max damage. She procced instakill earlier too... Kaya's pulling her weight.

Full round over. Its turn.

Shae's preemptive stun skipped its turn. Bought me one more.

HP at 54, defense 3. Not too high for an elite—lucky break.

If defense was higher, it'd be Zone 1's top elite. I gripped my axe haft, pondering.

50% blind shot or unknown-crit Head Crush?

Blind success means ~50% miss chance next turn. Can't stun forever, solid option. Or attack now for possible crit.

Long Terror pro Yujin would've picked safe 8/10 times. But Hendrick-possessed me? Opposite plays, intended or not.

Either way, no 100% guarantee.

Hope it whiffs? Or pray my axe crits its head?

Thud—

"I won't leave my fate to a monster instead of my comrades."

I chose the latter.

My comrades watched, teeth gritted. Even if damage sucked, even if miss or dodge popped despite luck. Even if pain made my limbs shake like mad.

I'm the heroes' captain standing against terror. The captain those shining gems believe in.

Me... fuck, me. A guy who's never accomplished shit in life. But the one useful thing in this world? Over 3,000 hours of Long Terror know-how.

And I'm not turning into axe fodder for some Zone 1 elite!

Each step screamed agony, but I wouldn't attack ugly. Ignoring my body's pleas to heal and rest, I charged through the Terror Warrior's dread aura.

You crit too?

"Waaaaaahahahahaha!!!"

"Captain!!!"

"Captain!!!"

Humanoid mark crit max damage, plus skull necklace +1. My max possible output exploded. Turned that prick's blood to rags in one shot!

Me, a mark battery? Nah, main DPS!

The crit max-damage high surged. Hope swelled: maybe kill it before it hits me twice. The Terror Warrior wailed, spewing blood and unidentifiable black glop. Turn to Shae.

Two of them for 16 damage. Just 16 more. No crits? Tight, but who are they? Shae and Kaya. Plus Kaya was on a roll—another crit anytime.

No, even last round's output works. Shae 5, Kaya 12—no crits, 17 total.

Checked the log. Potential brimmed. Kaya's was near-max, but possibility mattered. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Not 0% ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or 100%—that's the game.

"Haaah!"

"That's it!!!"

Shae crit. Down to 6 HP. Variables slashed.

It's fine. Resist roll? Whatever, win it. Kaya next anyway. Calculated Kaya's expected damage just in case.

Mark: 5~13. All According to God's Will: 6~14. Artifact humanoid +1: 7~15. Defense 3...

Non-crit expected: 4~12. Avoid 4 or 5. 7/9 chance, 77.8%. Crit? No calc needed.

Heart pounding double-time, I eyed the iron mace for the killing blow.

Kaya. I believe in you.

Our rock-solid Kaya charged again.

"Ah...!"

Oh.

Kaya's mace grazed past by a finger's width. Black smoke flared around the Terror Warrior, mocking us.

"Ha..."

"C-Captain... I'm sorry..."

This felt unreal. A dodge now?

Fine, credit where due: Kaya swung that mace like a beast for a low-accuracy battle vestal.

But why now?

The axe hit my armor. Vision went black.